Mickeyisms Rule!

Most improved regular season: Cleary then Lilja Most improved playoffs: Datsyuk followed by Lilja Rookie surprise: Flip then Quincey No way we expected to get 20 goals out of Cleary during the regular season. By the end of the seaon I was cheering Lilja instead of cringing at him being on the ice. The thing that turned it around was when he fought instead of turtled. I think that it gave him a new confidence and made him realize that he had a big body and could lay it on people. Datsyuk, a long-time playoff no-show, brought it in the playoffs this year. As he was the biggest question mark for the Wings in the post season, it was awesome to see him actually live up to his potential. Lilja was (I can't believe I am writing this) our most solid playoff D-man. As for the rookies, if I squinted a little to blur the numbers on his back, Flip showed some flashes of Fedorov. He used his foot speed, which isn't quite Feddy-esque, and his strength on his skates to beat D-men to the outside. Now if only he could get the outside to insode move going. Quincey was just... solid in the playoffs. I kept scratching my head when he was out during the OT against the Flames, but I was pleasantly surprised when he proved himself to be solid, making the simple play and not trying to get too fancy.

Sadly, he would be saying the same thing. I'm beginning to think he really is Bill Clement.

My thoughts were about his wrist. It requires surgery, doesn't it? Who knows how his shot will be when he gets done with that?

Lang will not be back. I think Schneider may retire, if he comes back as a Wing, expect a 1 year deal like what Chelios has. Chelios will be back. Bert will be signed to a 2 year deal with a club option on a third. I have a feeling that Hudler will be resigned, only to be traded. Calder will most likely be allowed to test the FA waters. I don't see Smyth as a Wing, though I have been wrong before. Lidstrom has 2 years in him, at which time he will probably step aside to free up the money that needs to go to Zetts- and the captaincy. I doubt that we will be adding any big name FA's this year. Hasek probably one more year. The rest is up in the air imho.

Double

Has anyone figured out what the hell Helene St James or whatever her name is doing writing hockey stories in the Freep? She consistently gets her facts wrong and seems to have a hard time figuring out this game called hockey.

If we wanted Ron Wilson as our coach calling out the players in the newspaper then we would have hired Ron freaking Wilson. Babcock doesn't air his dirty laundry (often) in the press. Except for that one time he called Hasek out for flopping, I can't remember him naming names to the press.

If there is one thing that Bert isn't good at- besides making draperfan all squishy and uncomfortable inside- its backchecking. He approaches the game as a one-way forward. I wouldn't have had him out there when protecting a 1 goal lead in game 5 either.

I believe that I never stopped believing. In the face of adversity the strongest of heart and of effort will always prevail.

When we are on the road, the home team has the last change before a face-off. This allows the home coach to match lines with what we put out there. Naturally when we put out Pav and Hank, the home coach is going to put out their best defensive unit. When we are at home we get the last change. If they put a less-than-stellar defensive combo out there, Babs can counter it with our best line.

This is the second time that you have responded like this to a comment made like this. Its not that we don't love Ozzie, in fact I do love Ozzie, and if Hasek wasn't able to go I would have no trouble with having Ozzie in net. But Hasek is the better goalie of the two. Historically it has been proven. This isn't a bash Ozzie thread. Its a sad attempt by an attention ***** (the OP) that stirs things up then complains when he gets his *** bruised because no one agrees with him to get the attention that he so desperately needs to validate his pathetic life.

Then I guess its a good thing that you're not the coach. Else I fear we would be golfing right now.

From http://mirtle.blogspot.com/2007/05/importance-of-game-5.html

Oh My God You just got chastised by a DUCK FAN!!! This must be the best day of your life. Ass-tastic even!

I don't see where you get the whole "Dom picked tonight to take a night off. ' I don't think he picked anything. He had an off night. The game before he let in 0 (that's a zero, as in nada) goals. You didn't post here basically at all after the 5-0 win except to complain about Pronger and moan about Kocur being gone. When something good happens (oops forgot you said something nice about Bert), you are nowhere to be seen, but have a little fumble happen and you're all up on someone's nuts calling them an ass-hat or ass-mouth or ass-fill-in-a-word-here because they had a bad performance. Is there something we should know about you and a bad history with someone's backside? Or is that better off left alone? Either way, Dom will be back on Sunday, with an extra day's rest, and mad as hell at himself for letting in 4 goals. You can bet your ass that he won't have the same performance.

100% agreed there. From his comments posted at http://tsn.ca/nhl/news_story/?ID=207911&hubname=nhl, there wouldn't be any such thing as a suspension for a Candian player. And I Quote: What the hell does being Canadian have anything to do with it? I bet Grapes is saying the same tired s***.

http://www.versus.com/nhl

HOMER ON TEH ICEZ0R!

The prblem here is that Lidstrom is second in the playoffs in giveaways. Not knocking the captain, mind you, but he hasn't been his usual flawless self. Link provided to prove it. Giveaways

Unfortunately, we are also dominating at giveaways also. Giveaways

My inner fan is cheering right now after reading this post.

Living with your parents is a beautiful thing, ain't it?

Have they never heard of defense? Holy hell!

A Maltby that you can count on to be a gamer day in and day out is worth 3 up and comers that may or may not be able to play at this level. Abelkader needs some time in the AHL to tune his game. Grigorenko is an X factor. He's signed, but what kind of a game will he bring to the NHL? Kindl hasn't played one game at this level yet and Hudler is at best, a defensive liability (not knocking him, but it is a fact). Kopecky has what... 15 games or something like that? None of these guys bring the kind of veteran experience that Malts has. Now he has 3, hopefully 4 Stanley Cup championships + all those years of working his arse off for the team. You can not get rid of that kind of heart for the unknowns. The new guys will get their shot. Remember that hockey is a violent sport and people get hurt. They can show what they are made of when they get that chance (See Flip and Quincey this year for examples). I don't know why some fans keep screaming that we are too old, especially with all of the success that we have had. The formula works, man. Don't go messing it up. Remember New Coke? You probably don't, but you may want to Google it some time to see what a change of formula can do to bring a winning franchise down. One more thing. Please...learn...that...this...is...hard...to...read.

With the way things are going here in Michigan, the blue-collar worker that you are romanticizing is a thing of the past. Ironic that the Motor City is playing against a team that has a foreign automaker as their arena sponsor.